Machine-to-Machine (M2M) devices are expected to be added to wireless networks in large numbers over the next few years. Their patterns of operation are typically different from the phones, smartphones and personal computing devices that currently dominate in terms of their proportion of use of the wireless networks. Many of the M2M terminals will operate for short periods of time, sending small amounts of data infrequently. Some will remain in one fixed location. In order to save power, M2M terminals may not be continuously registered on the network, which means that they may not be reachable by direct calling. In many cases however they will be listening to the base station and should be able to receive broadcast messages.
Different applications running on M2M wireless devices may have different requirements. For example time-sensitive information may require a higher Quality of Service (QoS) treatment than non-time-sensitive information. Security may be required for some applications but not others. However, implementation of such differential service is not always straightforward, and improvements to such implementations would be beneficial.
Therefore there is a need for a method and apparatus for wireless communication with machine-to-machine devices that is not subject to one or more limitations of the prior art.
This background information is provided for the purpose of making known information believed by the applicant to be of possible relevance to the present technology. No admission is necessarily intended, nor should be construed, that any of the preceding information constitutes prior art against the present technology.